Red Hawk Hyuk Min Ji, Viper Sung Woong Kim, and Tigro Chang Hyun Shin enter a fan-driven competition for a place on Black Combat 17, with heated exchanges, ambitious promises, and their futures in the promotion on the line.
With Black Combat 17: VANTABLACK approaching on November 21, 2026, at Seoul’s Gocheok Sky Dome, the South Korean MMA promotion is giving its fans an unusual opportunity: the power to help determine who competes on one of its biggest stages.
In a newly released video, Black Combat introduced a competition featuring three rising fighters—Red Hawk Hyuk Min Ji, Viper Sung Woong Kim, and Tigro Chang Hyun Shin—who are battling for a coveted spot on the upcoming card.
Rather than settling the selection through rankings or traditional matchmaking, Black Combat has turned the process into an election-style campaign, complete with candidates, campaign advisers, debates, and fan voting.
What began as a lighthearted competition quickly developed into a heated exchange about fighting ability, popularity, loyalty, and the future of the promotion.
Three Fighters, One Opportunity
The three candidates entered the competition after emerging as the leading contenders in an initial round of fan voting.
Hyuk Min Ji, known as “Red Hawk,” entered as the frontrunner, followed by Sung Woong Kim, better known as “Viper,” and Chang Hyun Shin, who competes under the nickname “Tigro.”
Despite the difference in their positions, the voting remained extremely close.
At the time of filming, just 29 votes separated first-place Ji from second-place Kim, while only 17 votes separated Kim from Shin.
The narrow margins meant that any of the three could potentially secure the opportunity.
Each fighter brought a different argument to the table.
Ji pointed to his finishing ability and growing popularity. Kim emphasized his history with Black Combat and willingness to face elite competition. Shin, meanwhile, positioned himself as the underdog who needed the fans’ support to reach a stage that might otherwise remain out of reach.
For Shin, the opportunity carried particular significance.
While acknowledging that the other two fighters might have stronger paths to appearing at Gocheok Sky Dome without fan voting, he admitted that his chances depended heavily on the audience.
He urged fans to recognize how much the opportunity meant to him.
Red Hawk Promises Another Finish and One Million Views
As the leading candidate, Hyuk Min Ji entered the debate with considerable confidence.
The featherweight prospect highlighted his unbeaten finishing record, which participants described as eight victories with eight finishes.
If selected, Ji promised to deliver the kind of matchup fans wanted to see, specifically mentioning potential opponents Deadshot and Psycho.
He also guaranteed that his fight would end in a finish and generate at least one million views.
Ji’s confidence immediately drew criticism from the other candidates, who questioned whether he could realistically guarantee such results.
Rather than backing down, Ji pointed to his previous performances and suggested that his track record spoke for itself.
The discussion soon shifted toward his possible military enlistment, with the other candidates repeatedly teasing him about his future obligations.
Although the exchange was largely humorous, it highlighted the competitive atmosphere surrounding the vote.
Ji also addressed the possibility of facing Psycho, with whom he has an existing personal rivalry.
According to the discussion, tensions between the two have extended beyond ordinary promotional trash talk, including alleged insulting remarks involving Ji’s mother.
Ji claimed that a potential matchup could produce an especially heated confrontation, even suggesting that additional security might be necessary.
The matchup remains hypothetical, but the conversation demonstrated why Ji believes his presence on the card could attract significant attention.
Viper Wants Fight of the Night
While Ji focused on finishes and viewership, Sung Woong Kim took a different approach.
The flyweight fighter acknowledged that he could not guarantee a knockout or submission but promised to deliver a competitive and entertaining fight.
Kim emphasized his willingness to engage in difficult battles, setting Fight of the Night as his primary goal.
He also referenced his signature spinning elbow, joking that he intended to take the technique even further in his next appearance.
His previous battle with Uma was raised as an example of his ability to produce memorable fights.
According to the discussion, that matchup earned Fight of the Night honors, with the two fighters sharing a $10,000 bonus.
Kim’s argument centered on the belief that a memorable fight does not necessarily require a quick finish.
However, his rivals questioned whether his performances had consistently delivered the entertainment value he claimed.
The exchanges became increasingly personal as the fighters compared their records, opponents, and popularity.
Kim also expressed interest in a potential matchup with Amazon Kid, although no fight was officially announced.
Throughout the debate, Kim maintained that his commitment to Black Combat and willingness to compete against difficult opponents made him deserving of the opportunity.
Tigro Makes His Case as the Underdog
Of the three candidates, Chang Hyun Shin presented perhaps the most unconventional campaign.
Recognizing that his current ranking and limited experience placed him at a disadvantage, Shin openly appealed to fans for support.
He argued that unlike his competitors, whose potential matchups were already being discussed, his next opponent remained uncertain.
For Shin, earning a spot at Gocheok Sky Dome would represent a major step forward in his career.
He promised to deliver a decisive finish if selected, suggesting that he could end the fight in approximately two minutes.
The conversation then took a humorous turn when Shin proposed incorporating ramen into his entrance.
His idea was to begin preparing ramen before the fight, finish his opponent before the noodles were ready, and enjoy the meal during his post-fight interview.
The unusual promise quickly became one of the more entertaining moments of the debate.
Shin also expressed interest in facing Pikachu, explaining that the matchup had gained attention among fans.
Despite the humor, Shin’s central message remained consistent: he wanted to fight, and he needed the fans to help make it happen.
He also challenged Ji’s earlier suggestion that he might prefer to rest rather than compete again so soon.
Shin argued that fighters eager to compete should be given the opportunity, particularly on a stage as significant as Gocheok Sky Dome.
A Debate That Turned Toward Loyalty and Fighter Pay
One of the most revealing portions of the video came when the conversation shifted away from the fan vote and toward the fighters’ long-term futures.
Hyuk Min Ji revealed that he had previously expressed interest in signing a lifetime contract with Black Combat.
According to the discussion, Black Combat CEO Pyeong Hwa Park had declined to immediately accept the proposal, encouraging the young fighter to consider his future carefully.
Park explained that fighters such as Ji and Shin could potentially pursue opportunities with the UFC, making it important not to limit their options prematurely.
However, Ji offered an unexpected perspective.
He said that although becoming a champion in the world’s leading MMA organization had once been his goal, Black Combat’s growth had made him reconsider whether leaving the promotion was necessary.
Ji also praised Black Combat’s compensation structure, arguing that fighters could receive meaningful financial opportunities through fight purses, bonuses, and appearances in promotional content.
He specifically referenced UFC featherweight Joo Sang Yoo, claiming that their fight purses were comparable.
That comparison was Ji’s own account rather than an independently verified disclosure of either fighter’s compensation.
For Ji, the financial discussion was part of a larger argument about loyalty.
He suggested that if Black Combat continued growing, fighters might no longer need to leave South Korea to pursue successful careers.
Kim expressed a similar commitment to the promotion.
During the discussion, he recalled telling Park that he wanted to help Black Combat surpass the UFC rather than simply use the organization as a stepping stone.
Park responded by expressing his own ambition to continue building Black Combat into a major international promotion.
The conversation offered a rare look at how some of the promotion’s emerging fighters view their long-term careers and the opportunities available in Korean MMA.
Black Combat Turns Matchmaking Into Fan Engagement
Beyond the exchanges between the fighters, the video demonstrated Black Combat’s increasingly entertainment-driven approach to promotion.
Each candidate was assigned a campaign adviser drawn from the organization’s production and presentation team.
The advisers contributed to the debates, challenged competing candidates, and helped promote their respective fighters.
Following the discussion, the candidates were instructed to organize campaign teams and take their efforts directly to the public.
They were given 30 minutes to recruit supporters and prepare their strategies before beginning in-person campaigning.
The promotion also announced that the candidate who secured the most additional votes during the campaign period would receive the highest appearance payment for the activity.
The concept transforms a traditional matchmaking decision into an ongoing promotional storyline.
Instead of simply announcing another fight for Black Combat 17, the organization is encouraging fans to develop a personal investment in the athletes competing for the opportunity.
It also gives younger fighters a platform to demonstrate their personalities outside the cage.
Who Will Earn the Gocheok Sky Dome Spotlight?
With Black Combat 17 approaching, the competition between Hyuk Min Ji, Sung Woong Kim, and Chang Hyun Shin adds another storyline to an already significant event.
The November 21 card is scheduled to feature Choo Sung Hoon’s retirement fight against former UFC middleweight Chris Leben, a rematch more than sixteen years after their encounter at UFC 116.
For the three younger fighters, appearing on the same card represents an opportunity to gain exposure on one of the largest stages in Korean MMA.
Ji brings momentum and a reputation for finishes. Kim offers experience, durability, and a willingness to engage in difficult fights. Shin represents the hungry prospect looking for an opportunity to establish himself.
Their approaches differ, but their objective is the same.
Only one can win the fan-driven competition.
And with the vote still close at the time of filming, the final decision remains in the hands of Black Combat’s audience.
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